Automatically turning wheeled toy



Feb. 26, 1952 R. J. LOHR AUTOMATICALLY TURNING WHEELED TOY Filed March 9, 1949 Patented Feb. 26, 1952 AUTOMATICALLY TURNING WHEELED TOY Raymond J. Lohr, Erie, Pa., assignor to Louis Marx & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 9, 1949, Serial No. 80,347

8 Claims. (Cl. 46-213) This invention relates to wheeled toys, and more particularly to an automatically turning wheeled toy of simple and inexpensive type.

It has already been proposed to provide wheeled toys with mechanism causing the same to change direction sharply at intervals. The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve toys of that character- A more particular object is to provide such a toy in which the mechanism for causing the turning action is so simple and inexpensive as not to add materially to the cost of the toy. A more specific object is to provide a spring motor driven toy of conventional type provided as usual with a winding key, but in which the entire mechanism for causing the turning of the vehicle is provided by merely modifying the shape of the winding key.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the spring motor driven wheeled toy elements and their relation one to another as are hereinafter more particularly described .in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a toy embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear end view with the turning mechanism in operation;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the plane of the line 4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the operation of the toy. .7

-Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the toy here shown simulates a road vehicle such as a station wagon, but it will be understood that the body of the toy may simulate other vehicles, or a boat, or an animal or the like.

The toy comprises a winding stem l2 extending transversely of the toy, and a main spring l4 having one end I6 connected thereto and the other end I8 secured to the body of the toy. There is also an axle 20 extending transversely of the toy with wheels 22 and 24 thereon. Stepup gearing is provided between the winding stem l2 and the axle 20, and a winding key 30 is secured to the winding stem 12 at one side of the toy.

Now in accordance with the present invention the winding key 30 has a length such that it touches the running surface 50 during its rotation, as willbe seen by the broken line position 30' in Fig. 1, and thereby raises its side of the vehicle enough to free the wheel 22 at its side of the vehicle, as is shown in Fig. 3. Thereupon the other wheel 24 acts as a driving wheel which turns the vehicle about the tip 32 of the winding key acting as a pivot.

It will be noted that the winding key is essentially an arm extending in one direction from the winding stem l2 so that it functions to turn the vehicle only once during each revolution of the Winding stem. This arrangement is preferred in order to permit a reasonable distance of straight travel before the toy is again turned. During the straight run the toy acquires momentum which helps it surmount the lifting and turning action. However, it will be understood that the key may be made symmetrical with two diametrically opposed arms. At somewhat greater expense'the toy may be made with a more powerful spring, and with a higher-ratio step-up gear train, in which case the interval between turns may be made the same as with the present toy even though using such a symmetrical key, for the winding stem would in effect then unwind at half the relative speed of the present winding stem.

To guard against excessive slippage, the tip 32 of the key 30 may be made of rubber or equivalent frictional material, and the same applies to the opposite driving wheel 24. For the sake of uniformity, and to insure a straight-running action between turns, both wheels 22 and 24 may be made of rubber or equivalent frictional material. In the particular construction here shown the key 30 employs a rubber arm 34 (Fig. 4) supported between two sheet metal arms 36, the latter being shorter to expose the rubber material at the tip 32 (Fig. 3).

The gearing between the winding stem l2 and the axle 20 is preferably such that the winding stem 30 rotates in the same direction as the driving wheels. Specifically, in Fig. 2 it will be seen that the winding stem turns a main gear 38 which meshes with a pinion 40 on an intermediate shaft 42, the said pinion turning a gear 44 which meshes with a pinion 46 on the axle 20. It will be evident that with this arrangement the winding stem 12 and axle 20 rotate in the same direction, there being a single idle shaft 42 therebetween. The same result would be obtained by any odd number of idle shafts in the step-up gear train.

The reason it is desirable for the winding key to turn in the same direction as the wheels will be evident from inspection of Fig. 1, for the movement of the winding keyhelps continued forward movement of the toy. Conversely, the forward momentum of the toy helps it surmount the lifting action required of the winding key. If the winding key is made to rotate in the opposite direction it has a dragging or braking effect on the operation of the toy throughout the time that its lower end is in engagement with the floor or running surface 50.

In Fig. 1 it will be noted that the intermediate shaft 42 is carried in slotted bearings 52. This is a known feature in spring driven toys, thearrangement being such that the gears can disengage while the main spring is being wound by means of the key 30. However, when the main spring unwinds the motion of the intermediate shaft 42 is toward that end of the bearing slots which keeps the gears in engagement.

The particular toy here shown has a one-piece body 54 molded out of a suitable thermoplastic material. The body is open at the bottom. The side walls carry a forward axle 56 with front wheels 58. The rear axle 2B, the intermediate shaft 42, and the winding stem 12 also are all carried by the side walls of the toy. The gears and axles may be die cast, and gear 38 is pro: vided with an integrally formed pin, whichreceives the end It of the spring. The molded plastic body is molded with a post 56 depending from the top wall thereof, the said post receiving the stationary end 18 of the main spring.

The operation of the toy is schematically shown in Fig. 5, in which it will be seen that the wheeled toy is running straight forward at 62. When the winding key reaches the position shown at 30 in Fig. l, or the downwardly pointing position shown in Fig. 3, the toy swings sharply toward the left, as is shown at 64. The toy then runs straight forward for an interval until the winding key again points downward, at which time the toy again turns sharply to the left, as is indicated at 66. The toy again runs forward for a time, and finally, when the Winding key points downward, the toy again swerves sharply to one side, as is indicated at 68, and so again at Ill.

The turns illustrated in Fig. 5 are idealized in several respects. In the first place the pivot action of the winding key is not truly stationary, for it is operative not merely at one lowermost point, but rather throughout an arc of travel at the bottom of the circle or path of revolution of the tip of the key. Thus the turns are not as geometrically centered as is suggested in Fig. 5. Then too the angle through which the toy is turned is not necessarily the 90 illustrated in Fig. 5. It may be more or less than 90, depending upon the particular proportioning and design of the parts of the toy. Apart from that, even with any one toy structure the angle may change from time to time depending on the texture and nature of the surface on which the toy is running. Much depends on whether the surface is slippery, with consequent slippage, or smooth but frictional, with virtually no slippage, or so rough as to brake the toy over a prolonged arc of the key movement.

It will be understood that if desired the winding stem may be extended somewhat at the side opposite the key 36 and thereprovided with another similar key, the latter, however, being pointed in a different direction, typically, in 013-, posite direction. In such case the toy will be turned alternately in one direction and then in the other direction, thereby steering a'zig-zag course. However. the present arrangement is tion of my improved wheeled toy, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while I have described my invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure disclosed, without departing from the scope of the-invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

1. A wheeled toy comprising a winding stem extending transversely of the toy, a main spring operatively connected thereto to be wound thereby, an axle extending transversely of the toy, wheels on said axle, said wheels at least partially establishing the plane of a running surface relative to the toy, step-up gearing between said winding stem and said axle, and a winding key mounted on said winding stem at one side of the toy, the wheel on the other side of the toy being secured to the axle, said key having a radial length such thatthe end of the key crosses the aforesaid plane during its rotation, and thereby during operation on a running surface raises its side of the toy enough to free the wheel at its side of the toy, whereupon the other wheel turns the toy about the end of the winding key as a pivot.

2. A wheeled toy comprising a winding stem extending transversely of the toy, a main spring connected thereto, an axle extending transversely of the toy, wheels on said axle, said wheels at least partially establishing the plane of a running surface relative to the toy, step-up gearing between said winding stem and said axle, and a winding key mounted on said winding stem at one side of the toy, the wheel on the other side of the toy being secured to the axle, said key having a radial length such that the end of the key crosses the aforesaid plane during its rotation, and thereby during operation on a running surface raises its side of the toy enough to free the wheel at its side of the toy, whereupon the other wheel turns the toy about the end of the winding key as a pivot, said key being in the form of an arm extending in one direction from the winding stem so that it functions to turn the toy only once during each revolution of the winding stem.

3; A wheeled toy comprising a winding stem extending transversely of the toy, a main spring connected thereto, an axle extending transversely of the toy, wheels on said axle, said wheels at least partially establishing the plane of a running surface relative to the toy, step-upv gearing between said winding stern and said axle, and a winding key mounted on said winding stem at one side of the toy, the wheel on the other side of the toy beingsecured to the axle, said key having a radial length such that the end of the key crosses the aforesaid plane during its rotation, and thereby during operation on a running surface raises its side of the toy enough to free the wheel at its side of the toy, whereupon the other wheel turns the toy about the end of the winding key as a operatively connected thereto to be wound thereby, an axle extending transversely of the toy wheels on said axle, said wheels at least partially establishing the plane of a running surface relative to the toy, step-up gearing between said winding stem and said axle, and a winding key mounted on said winding stem at one side of the toy, the wheel on the other side of the toy being secured to the axle, said key having a radial length such that the end of the key crosses the aforesaid plane during its rotation, and thereby during operation on a running surface raises its side of the toy enough to free the wheel at its side of the toy, whereupon the other wheel turns the toy about the end of the winding key as a pivot,

the gearing between the winding stem and the axle being such that the winding stem rotates in the same direction as the driving wheels.

5. A wheeled toy comprising a winding stem extending transversely of the toy, a main spring connected thereto, an axle extending transversely of the toy, wheels on said axle, said wheels at least partially establishing the plane of a running surface relative to the toy, step-up gearing between said winding stem and said axle, and a winding key mounted on said winding stem at one side of the toy, the wheel on the other side of the toy being secured to the axle, said key having a radial length such that the end of the key crosses the aforesaid plane during its rotariphery of the opposite wheel being made of rubber or equivalent frictional material.

6. A wheeled toy comprising a winding stem extending transversely of the toy, a main spring connected thereto, an axle extending transversely of the toy, wheels on said axle, said wheels at least partially establishing the plane of a running surface relative to the toy, step-up gearing between said winding stem and said axle, and a winding key mounted on said winding stem at one side of the toy, the wheel on the other side of the toy being secured to the axle, said key having a radial length such that the end of the key crosses the aforesaid plane during its rotation, and thereby during operation on a running surface raises its side of the toy enough to free the wheel at its side of the toy, whereupon the other wheel turns the toy about the end of the winding key a a pivot, said key being in the form of an arm extending in one direction from the winding stem so that it functions to turn the toy only once during each revolution of the winding stem, the gearing between the winding stem and the axle being such that the winding stem rotates in the same direction as the driving wheels.

7. A wheeled toy comprising a winding stem extending transversely of the toy, a main spring connected thereto, an axle extending transversely of the toy, wheels on said axle, said wheels at least partially establishing the plane of a ru'nning surface relative to the toy, step-up gearing between said winding stem and said axle, and a winding key mounted on said winding stem at one side of the toy, the wheel on the other side of the toy being secured to the axle, said key having a radial length such that the end of the key crosses the aforesaid plane during its rotation, and thereby during operation on a running surface raises its side of the toy enough to free the wheel at its side of the toy, whereupon the other wheel turns the toy about the end of the ,winding key as a pivot, the end of said arm and the periphery of the opposite wheel being made of rubber or equivalent frictional material, the gearing between the winding stem and the axle being such that the winding stem rotates in the same direction as the driving wheels.

8. A wheeled toy comprising a winding stem extending transversely of the toy, a main spring connected thereto, an axle extending transversely of the toy, wheels on said axle, said wheels at least partially establishing the plane of a running surface relative to the toy, step-up gearing between said winding stem and said axle, and a winding key mounted on said winding stem at one side of the toy, the wheel on the other side of the toy being secured to the axle, said key having a radial length such that the end of the key crosses the aforesaid plane during its rotation, and thereby during operation on a running surface raises its side of the toy enough to free the wheel at its side of the toy, whereupon the other wheel turns the toy about the end of the winding key as a pivot, said key being in the form of an arm extending in one direction from the winding stem so that it functions to turn the toy only once during each revolution of the winding stem, the end of said arm and the periphery of the opposite wheel being made of rubber or equivalent frictional material, the gearing between the winding stem and the axle being such that the winding stem rotatesin the same direction as the driving wheels.

RAYMOND J. LOHR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,846,823 Westberg Feb. 23, 1932 2,024,590 Lindstrom Dec. 17, 1935 12,117,597 Berger May 1'7, 1938 

